Romantic Engagement Session at Duke Gardens in Durham

It’s Wedding Feature Wednesday at Southern Bride & Groom! Today we’re sharing Reeves and Michael’s romantic engagement session at Duke Gardens in Durham, shot by Anna Kirby Photography.

This couple’s story is so sweet and unique, and we love it even more because of its ties to Anna Kirby of Anna Kirby Photography, one of the extremely talented photographers in SB&G!

While Reeves was in her first year of medical school at Duke, her classmate introduced her to his wife, who happened to be Anna Kirby. The two became fast friends, and Anna introduced Reeves to her brother, Michael, a few times. It wasn’t until a year later, when they ran into each other at a bar and ended up talking until closing time, that Reeves and Michael began officially dating, though! Reeves asked Michael to call her a cab home, and he agreed in exchange for a date three nights later – she said yes, and the two have been inseparable ever since. Reeves said Anna and her husband take credit for making sure she and Michael were repeatedly in the same place at the same time!

A year after they began dating, Michael took Reeves to Tampa, his hometown. After a long day of fishing, the couple went on a walk down Bayshore Boulevard, a beautiful spot in Tampa where you can see all of downtown and Old Tampa Bay, looking out over the water. While they were talking about their future together, Michael got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Of course, she said yes, and the two, who now live in Durham, are now planning their March 2015 wedding in New Orleans (which will include a traditional second line!), where the bride-to-be grew up. Reeves added that she used to want Anna to shoot her wedding, but then she fell in love with her brother! So now she wants Anna to stand in the wedding, not shoot it from behind a lens.

Please enjoy these beautiful photos of Reeves and Michael’s engagement session at Duke Gardens courtesy of Anna Kirby Photography!